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Energy 2030 Directive

Thursday, May 8th, 2014

Commercial Buildings account for 40 percent of energy consumption in the Union. As the number of buildings continues to grow so too will energy consumption will continue to increase. Reduction of energy use in the building sector can reduce carbon emissions and dependence on foreign sources of energy. These targeted reductions rely on actual building performance, not just design.

On 22 January, the European Commission published the Communication on the EU’s 2030 Climate & Energy Framework. The key proposals included in the package are; a binding 40% GHG reduction target by 2030, an EU-wide binding renewable energy target of at least 27% by 2030, establishment of a market stability reserve at the beginning of the next Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) trading period in 2021, creation of a set of key indicators on competitive energy and a new governance system based on national plans for sustainable energy.

Noticeably absent from the communication was any mention of energy efficiency or improved performance in commercial buildings. It is our understanding that the question of how best to deliver the optimal energy savings through 2030 will be addressed later in 2014 which means an EU FM coalition would still have time to organize and shape the plan. The overarching goal is for energy efficiency is to move from ‘passive’ to ‘active’ which must necessarily include more emphasis on building performance and effective facility management.